1. Illness (verses 1-16)
2. Mourning (verses 17-37)
3. Resurrection (verses 38-44)

It is Resurrection Sunday. On this day we say, “He is risen.” And the congregation responds, “He is risen indeed.” If you listened to the Read Thru the Bible podcast this morning on Psalm 32, you know that we can say, “He is risen!” And the congregation responds, “We are forgiven!”^[1]

This is the reality of the resurrection of Jesus. It proves that all that Jesus spoke was true! That there is forgiveness in his name for all who believe!

This Sunday morning, all around the world, people are thinking about the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. The resurrection is central to our faith. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then we have no reason to be meeting here this morning. Paul said it this way, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). Paul went on to say that if the resurrection never happened, then, "we of all people are most to be pitied" (1 Corinthians 15:19).

If there is any doctrine in the Bible that is debated and doubted, it is the resurrection from the dead. It goes against all of our experience. It goes against science. People who die, just don’t live again. It is hard to believe. Yet, the resurrection is core and central to our faith.

Well, this morning, in our exposition of the gospel of John, chapter 11, which contains the story of Lazarus raising from the dead. So this morning, our focus will not be upon Jesus raising from the dead, but we will think about the resurrection of Lazarus. It is helpful for us to think about this. Because, in his life Jesus demonstrates his authority over death. If Jesus can raise Lazarus from the dead, then certainly, it is not a far stretch that he could rise from the dead as well.

So, open your Bibles to John, chapter 11. The title of my message this morning comes from verse 25, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” This is the truth that we will see in Jesus. He has the authority over death. Let’s look at my first point. I’m calling it, 

1. Illness (verses 1-16)

This is what we see in the first 16 verses of chapter 11. We see Lazarus being ill, and eventually dying. Let’s watch the story unfold. In verses 1 and 2, we are introduced to the major figures of this story, and told of the illness of Lazarus.

John 11:1-2
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.

There are three people mentioned here: Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Now, in the gospel of John, we have not yet heard anything about these people. And so, John takes some time to introduce them to us.

They are all siblings. They all live together, a man and his two sisters. John mentions that they live in Bethany, which is but 2 miles from Jerusalem (verse 8) down south in Judea. John also mentions that this Mary is the one who “anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair” (verse 2). We will see that when we come to chapter 12 in a few weeks.

I assume that they were a happy household, all three of them together. Yet, something very unhappy has come into their home: Lazarus is sick. And so, they summon the one whom they know can help.

John 11:3
So the sisters sent to him [that is Jesus], saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”

Here’s yet another description of this little family: they are close friends with Jesus. Jesus and Lazarus had a special relationship together. These sisters would describe Lazarus as “he whom you love.”

Now, at this point, Jesus is in Galilee in the northern region of Israel with his disciples. Remember, Lazarus and his sisters live in Bethany in the south. It’s a two or three day journey away from Lazarus.

Although the message from these sisters didn’t say it, it is certainly implied that they are requesting that Jesus come and heal Lazarus. As it turns out, Jesus knew about the health of Lazarus. And he knew of the prognosis.

John 11:4
But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

This sounds a lot like what Jesus said regarding the man born blind. When the disciples asked Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2), Jesus replied, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). In a similar fashion, Lazarus is ill, for the glory of God! Lazarus is ill, “that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Now, the troublesome words for us this morning is the first phrase of what Jesus says in verse 4: "This illness does not lead to death." The trouble comes because we know the story: we know that Lazarus dies. Yet, Jesus says, "This illness does not lead to death." Jesus says this because he knows the story as well.

John 11:5-6
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

Verse 6 is a surprise. We would expect to read something like, "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he [left right away to see Lazarus and cure him]."But verse 6 doesn’t say that. It reads this way, "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was."

In other words, Jesus intentionally delays his trip to Bethany, so that Lazarus would die. He does this because he loves Martha and Mary and Lazarus. The key to this love comes back to 4 “This illness is for the glory of God.” And Mary and Martha will get front row seats to see God’s glory, up close and personal.

This delay of Jesus has much to teach us about what we think about God’s love for us. We think that it will show up in immediate healing. But it doesn’t. Here, we see Jesus delay, so that Lazarus will die. That’s love in action. Jesus "stayed two days longer in the place where he was," so that Lazarus would die.

How many in this world have faced tragedy in this life, only to doubt God’s love for them, when he didn’t heal their loved one. It shows that God’s ways are not our ways. It shows that there is mystery in how the Lord deals with us.

So, if there is some healing that you need, and you are praying for it. And you are sending messages to Jesus to come and heal, and Jesus doesn’t come, and doesn’t heal. it may just be because of his love for you that he hasn’t come to heal your illness. Oh, church family, let us trust the timing of God in all things.

Let’s move on.

John 11:7
Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

That is, after waiting for two days. As we will find out later in the text, this was two days of waiting for Lazarus to die.

The disciples thought that this was a bad idea:

John 11:8
The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?”

Again, this is human wisdom speaking. “There is danger in Judea. Those in Judea are seeking to kill you! So, we must stay away, because death is bad!” But,

John 11:9-10
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

In other words, “When you are walking in the light, you will not stumble. You have nothing to fear.” Then Jesus speaks about the situation with Lazarus:

John 11:11-13
After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.

It is here that we see how Jesus knew full well of what was happening in Bethany. He knew of the deathbed scene, with Mary and Martha keeping vigil over Lazarus. He knows that Lazarus had died. But Jesus uses a metaphor with the disciples, a metaphor of sleep. That’s because Jesus knew that "This illness does not lead to death" (verse 4), because Lazarus is only sleeping!

In fact, this is how the Bible often speaks of the death of believers, as if we are merely asleep! awaiting the time when we will awaken! That’s why Paul tells us that we ought not to grieve as those who have no hope!

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

For believers, death is like a sleep from which we will awaken at his return! Let us remember this. Let 1 Thessalonians 4:18 encourage one another with these words!

But these disciples didn’t catch the metaphor. They didn’t realize that Jesus was speaking of death. They thought that Jesus was saying that Lazarus was like a student come home on college break, who was sleeping in. They thought, “Lazarus will wake up in due time.”

So, Jesus drops the metaphor in verse 14,

John 11:14-15
Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Catch the love of Jesus. Jesus was glad that he was not in Bethany to heal Lazarus. Why? Because, the disciples too will get to see the glory of God, up close and personal. As a result, these disciples will believe, which is better than Jesus healing Lazarus from an illness. Apparently, they had seen Jesus heal. But when they see Jesus raise the dead, they will believe that he has the power over death! And for this, Jesus was glad (verse 15). And then, we read in verse 16,

John 11:16
So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

I appreciate the courage of Thomas! I appreciate his faith. He was ready to go with Jesus to his death. But he missed the point. His mind was so preoccupied with the hostility of the Jews toward Jesus in Judea, that he missed what Jesus would do with Lazarus.

Let’s look at our second point, 

2. Mourning (verses 17-37)

John 11:17-19
Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.

I have experienced this. Exactly two weeks ago today, my mother passed away, (I mean, fell asleep in Jesus). A few days later, we had a visitation at the funeral home. For three hours, people came from all around to “console us” concerning our mother. That included some of you. I’m grateful to every one of you who came to support our family in this way. I found the time to be incredibly encouraging, as I saw old friends, who came to show their love for us.

Verse 20 picks up the scene in Mary and Martha’s house, with friends and family all around.

John 11:20
So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.

Martha was so wanting to see Jesus, that she didn’t wait for Jesus to come to the house. She went out to meet him.

John 11:21-22
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

These are words of faith. Yes, if Jesus had been in Bethany when Lazarus was on his sick bed, Jesus may well have healed him. Yes, whatever Jesus asks from God, God may well give to him, even if he asks if one would rise from the dead (verses 41-42).

Jesus then speaks hope into Martha’s life:

John 11:23
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

She again responds in faith.

John 11:24
Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

This is our hope as believers, which I already read for you in 1 Thessalonians 4. I read at the graveside service for my mother last Saturday. We trust that those who have fallen asleep in Jesus, will arise from the grave, when Jesus returns to bring in the resurrection on the last day.

Then Jesus says that marvelous statement in verse 25,

John 11:25
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

This is the gospel of Jesus Christ! Life is in him! Life in him comes through faith! Though you die, yet you will live! There is hope beyond the grave! That’s our message this Easter morning! Yes, death is a reality in this life. But there is one who has come to conquer that death: Jesus Christ!

This morning, we celebrate his rising from the dead. Because it shows that verse 25 is true.

John 11:25-26
"I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die."

Isn’t this verse merely John 3:16 repackaged? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Both of these verses speak about believing. Both of these verses speak about the life that comes through believing!

In fact, this is the theme of the gospel of John. It’s found in John 20:30-31. Let’s say it again together: "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." To bring it to this sign of Lazarus raising from the dead, is written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that “by believing you may have life in his name.”

That’s my hope and prayer for all of you this morning: that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, that you may have live in his name! How many times have you seen our teaching slide for the gospel of John? “Believe so that you may live!” Oh, may we not work our way through the gospel of John only to find you unbelieving!

This is the whole point of John’s gospel! It was written so that we might believe! As a result of our faith, we may have the life that Jesus was talking about. And this life extends beyond the grave.

John 11:25-26
"I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die."

Do you believe this? This is a great applicational question, because this is exactly the question that Jesus asks of Martha.

John 11:26
“Do you believe this?”

And I love her response of faith.

John 11:27
She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

Do you believe, along with Martha? Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? That’s the whole point of the gospel of John. I hope and pray that you do!

John continues in verse 28,

John 11:28
When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”

Perhaps Jesus was indeed calling for her. Perhaps this was Martha’s way of getting Mary to come to Jesus. At any rate, Mary followed the summons.

John 11:29-31
And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

This is how they grieved in Biblical times. Many would surround those who were mourning the death of a loved one. They would not leave them. Instead, they would stand by their side in support. That’s why they all followed Mary to the tomb.

So picture the scene. All who were mourning with Mary, followed Mary as she met up with Jesus. So, this reunion with Jesus (in verse 32) is very public.

John 11:32
Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

This is exactly what Martha had told Jesus in verse 21. It seems as if they had been discussion this possibility in their home before Jesus arrived. The fact that Mary said the same thing as Martha demonstrates that she too had faith in the power of Jesus to heal.

Then John records the inner turmoil of Jesus as we witnesses the scene.

John 11:33
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.

Jesus was “deeply moved” and “greatly troubled.” It is difficult to exactly get the sense of the emotions of Jesus at this point. On the one hand, it may be translated as if Jesus was joining in with the mourning of the crowds, being impacted by the depth of emotion all around. But on the other hand, it may be translated as if Jesus was angry at the scene. Indeed, this is how Martin Luther translated this verse. He translated it that Jesus was “angry in his spirit.” That’s how the word is most often translated.

However we take these words, they speak to the deep emotions of Jesus at the scene. Troubled at the sight of the people, who were mourning without hope. Angry at what sin had brought into the world. It seems as if Jesus reached his tipping point.

John 11:34
And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”

Now that the crowd had gathered, he wanted to bring them all to the tomb, that they might witness the glory of God. And before he went,

John 11:35
Jesus wept.^[2]

This was not a loud cry of those who were mourning, making some big display. It was Jesus, quietly shedding his tears over the grief that had come upon them all. Yet, the crowds noticed.

John 11:36
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

They interpreted the tears of Jesus as tears of grief for a loved one who passed away. With my mother passing away two weeks ago, I have shed some of these tears as well. It’s helpful to know that Jesus can sympathize with all of us who shed such tears of grief. But then came the skepticism:

John 11:37
But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

These words were pointing out the failure of Jesus as he let Lazarus die. “Why didn’t Jesus heal Lazarus? Obviously he loved him! Perhaps he was not powerful enough to do so.” But Jesus was powerful enough to do so. And he shows his power in the last section of our text. We have seen, "Illness" (verses 1-16), and we have seen "Mourning," (verses 17-37), and now we see the 

3. Resurrection (verses 38-44)

This is the miracle of the text.

John 11:38
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

Jews would often lay their corpses in a cave, to let it decay for a year. After a year, they would enter the tomb and gather the bones and bury them in the ground. The stone was set to seal up the cave and the smell of the decaying body, which Martha points out to Jesus, who said,

John 11:39
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”^[3]

To which Jesus replied,

John 11:40
“Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

This verse shows that the dialogue in the text isn’t always complete. Because, this is not recorded in the conversations that Jesus had with Martha and Mary. Yet, Jesus had told this to his disciples (verse 4). Surely, Jesus had repeated this to Martha and Mary.

And Jesus proceeds to show the glory of God.

John 11:41-44
So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

What a dramatic scene! This is a demonstration of the glory of God! Do you see it? It is pure glory that Jesus could ask the Father, and Lazarus would rise from the dead! Remember when Martha had told Jesus (in verse 22), "But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” this was true. Jesus asked God to raise Lazarus from the dead. And he did.

Commenting upon this verse, Augustine, the great church father, wrote something to the effect that if Jesus had not called Lazarus by name, “Lazarus, come out!” then all of the tombs in Bethany would have opened up, and all of the dead would have walked forth out of the tombs in which they were buried.

This is our hope in the future, that someday Jesus will return and cry out, “Come out!” And the dead in Christ will rise again from the dead!

1 Corinthians 15:20-23
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

I come back to the main point of the story:

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Do you believe this? Then you have hope beyond the grave!

This sermon was delivered to Rock Valley Bible Church on April 20, 2025 by Steve Brandon.
For more information see www.rockvalleybiblechurch.org.

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[1] My wife and I are reading through the Bible on a podcast that many in the church listen to on a daily basis. Here is a link to the episode that was played this Resurrection Morning.

[2] It is often pointed out that this is the shortest verse in the Bible, a mere two words in the English.

[3] I can’t pass this verse without quoting the King James. "Lord, by this time he stinketh." The word is so unique (and humorous) that it brings a smile to everyone who hears the word.